


Dumpster Kid

by Irritable_Fabulamancer



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: It's a fun time, Sonic is the patron deity of found family tropes, Tails is a mildly feral baby, angsty fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:34:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27568339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irritable_Fabulamancer/pseuds/Irritable_Fabulamancer
Summary: One day, while stranded on an unusually unfriendly island, a young hero finds a half-dead little kid hiding behind a dumpster, and decides to help him. It's a tale as old as time.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 98





	1. Pity

Sonic the Hedgehog didn't know why he was here.

Well, that wasn't really true. There was a very simple reason why he was here, and he knew it all too well; after months of abuse, his plane had finally decided to break down, stranding him on this island. Despite how it sounded, it wasn't actually all that big a problem for him. He was a self-proclaimed wanderer, a young adventurer, who went where the wind took him, all of which was really just an inspirational way of admitting he was an eleven-year-old homeless orphan. This setback really just meant that he would be stuck on this island until he raised enough money doing odd jobs to hire someone to fix the Tornado.

But for Sonic, being stuck anywhere was enough to make him antsy.

It did seem worse this time, however. This was a large island, and even his panicked once-over from a crashing plane had told him that it was both a beautiful place and ripe for exploration. But something about it felt _off_.

This town was called Emerald Hill, according to the sign, and it lived up to its name. It was a stunning place, full of lush plant life, between sparkling beaches and exciting-looking forests. Ordinarily, Sonic would have been thrilled to explore it, but there was a pervasive sense of unease, like everyone here was watching him, waiting for him to make a wrong move.

He avoided eye contact as he walked down the road, making a mental sketch of the area. Like he usually did when we entered a new town, he was getting a feel for it, making mental notes of useful shops and public buildings, and generally preparing for the possibility of getting stuck here. He wasn't planning on staying here the whole time, in fact he wanted to get out as soon as possible, but there was always the chance he might have to visit.

He could feel the locals staring at him. He was used to it, but that didn't mean he liked it. He ducked into an alley to avoid a group of teenagers giving him a dangerous stare, which was quite possibly the greatest decision of his life.

There was a little squeak behind him. He looked down, and saw a tiny ball of fluff hiding behind a dumpster.

It took Sonic a moment to process what he was seeing, as the child's fur was so matted with dirt that it was hard to tell exactly what he looked like. He appeared to be a very young fox boy, perhaps around four or five, with a sickly, emaciated frame. A pair of large, shaking black eyes stared at Sonic from behind a pair of ragged tails, glazed over with exhaustion yet still shining with terror.

Sonic didn't spend more than a millisecond focusing on the whole pair-of-tails thing. The scene gave him a kind of profound disgusted shock. It was so incongruous with the rest of the town's image, despite the menacing atmosphere, that for a moment Sonic froze, with no idea of what he was supposed to do.

He broke out of this shock when the shivering fox kit gave a quiet, terrified whine. The hedgehog quickly crouched down to the child's level, seemingly a bit too quickly, as he yelped and shrank back, squeezing his eyes shut. Sonic stopped dead, unsure of what to do next, and settled on giving him the warmest smile he could muster and waiting.

Slowly, the kit unravelled his little ball, looking up at Sonic curiously. The smile seemed to confuse him more than anything else, but he eventually looked up into Sonic's eyes, tilting his head slightly.

And for some reason, that little, innocent,  _childish_ gesture was the most heartbreaking thing about this whole situation. It somehow put in into perspective how young this kid was, how utterly  _disgusting_ the state he was in was, and Sonic suddenly found himself resolving to stop this, whatever it took.

"Hello." Sonic spoke quietly and slowly, as if to a skittish feral animal. The fox jumped, but didn't retreat. Sonic cast his gaze around the kid's body, now that he could see him properly. It was worse than he thought; he could clearly see the boy's ribs, and his skin was covered in cuts and bruises. Had someone actually beaten him up?

Sonic suppressed his growing rage, keeping up his calm, welcoming smile, and focused on one particularly big gash on the kid's arm. He took a moment to think about his words, then gestured towards it, careful not to make any sudden movements. "Do you want me to help you with that?"

The kit yipped, glanced down at the injury, then stared back up at Sonic, as if he didn't want to look away for too long. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, making little noises that sounded like the start of letters, then quickly halting them. He looked completely lost.

Sonic decided to continue. "It's okay, buddy. I just want to help." He wasn't quite sure where that term came from, but it seemed to be the right choice, as the kid's expression turned surprised, and he seemed to relax fractionally. Sonic carefully extended a hand. "C'mon. I've got some first aid stuff. And some food."

The fox froze. They remained there for a few minutes, Sonic trying his best to look non-threatening, the fox staring at him like he was trying to figure out how to defuse a bomb. Finally, very slowly, the kit lifted his own small hand and, carefully, flinching at the touch, placed it in Sonic's.

Sonic widened his smile, and, taking the tiny, thin hand, carefully stood up. The fox struggled to his feet, using the wall for support. Sonic helped him as best he could, but the kid seemed scared to tug on his arm.

Once they were both standing, Sonic took a small step back. After a moment's hesitation, the kit followed, and immediately collapsed into Sonic's outstretched arm.

He squealed, freezing up. He placed shaking hands on the arm, seemingly trying to push himself off, but his stick-thin arms didn't have the energy to support his own weight anymore. Sonic carefully placed a hand on his shoulder, steadying him.

The kid swayed on his feet, breathing unevenly. His eyes were glassy and unfocused, and he looked like he was about to pass out.

"Hey, it's okay!" Sonic reassured him as best he could, starting to get a little frightened himself. "It's alright. I won't hurt you. I promise."

He seemed to have gotten through to the fox, as he made eye contact again, slowly getting control of his breathing. Sonic let go of his shoulder, keeping hold of his hand. He took a small step forward, still shaky, but steadier now.

Sonic carefully led the child to the end of the alley. He stopped dead at the edge of the shadows, blinking in the light, and looked up at Sonic again, giving one small whimper of fear. Sonic gave him another smile, this one encouraging, and he swallowed before carefully stepping out onto the street.

He looked around and froze again, gaze landing on the teenagers from before. They stared back, looking surprised, and Sonic didn't like the look of malice that overtook them. He took a deep breath, and carefully tapped the kit on the shoulder. His gaze snapped up to him, and contrary to his earlier behaviour, he actually seemed to lean a little closer.

"Hey, buddy, you look like you're about to pass out. You want me to carry you?"

The kit looked between them for a moment, until a few of the others started to walk forward, menace visible in their gaits. He seemed to make up his mind quickly, looking up at Sonic and nodding nervously.

Sonic didn't waste any time. He scooped the kid up, doing his best to ignore the scared yelp, and sped past the surprised group. He turned a corner and slowed down, trying to settle the kid a little more comfortably in his arms as he ran towards the town exit.

They quickly reached the downed Tornado, where Sonic had set up his initial camp. It wasn't much – just a few partially unpacked boxes, a folding deckchair, and the makings of a fire. He set the kid down carefully on the edge of the chair.

The fox's entire body was frozen, with the occasional twitch and his rapidly moving eyes the only indication that he was still conscious. Sonic crouched down again, feeling guilty. "Are you okay?"

He jerked his head up, expression fearful. "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." He seemed to calm down a little at that, and glanced around, taking in his surroundings.

Sonic picked up his first aid kit. The fox whimpered, curling his tails tightly around himself until Sonic put it down again. He thought for a moment, then reached for his food supply instead, pulling out a peanut butter sandwich.

Approaching the kit, he offered the food to him. "Here you go, buddy." The fox looked apprehensive, sniffing the bread suspiciously. "It's fine, you can have it."

He took the sandwich, turning it over in his hands, and carefully nibbled at a corner. Despite the fact that it was about two days old and fairly compressed, his eyes lit up like it was the best thing he'd ever eaten.  _Which it probably is_ .

When he had finished, Sonic approached with the first aid kit again. The fox still looked apprehensive, but seemed more willing to give him a chance now.

Sonic slowly took his arm, examining the gash. It looked fairly recent, maybe a few hours old, and the fox seemed to have kept it clean. He took out a roll of disinfectant bandage, and carefully wrapped it around the wound. The fox whimpered in pain, but somehow managed not to cry.

Over the next few hours, Sonic alternated between giving the kid sandwiches and water, and carefully patching him up. By the time the hedgehog placed the last sticking plaster on his knee, he was looking a lot less pale, and sitting more upright. He still looked scared, but it was more of a general twitchiness than the previous hyperfocused terror.

Sonic sat there for a while, unsure of what to do now. The initial panic was over, but in his relief he realised that he hadn't made any plan beyond "save the kid".

"Hey," he began, and the fox looked up from his fifth sandwich, surprised but no longer terrified. "What's your name?"

He squeaked, curling up in fear again for a moment, before relaxing slightly and uncurling. Like before, he seemed to try to speak, but was unable to say anything.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me. I get it." Sonic smiled reassuringly. "I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog." The kit shifted around for a moment, before looking up and giving him a very weak smile. It was gone almost as soon as it appeared, and he quickly hid his face in his fluffy tails, but it gave Sonic hope. He carefully extended his hand towards the fox's head, who watched it apprehensively.

Sonic began to very gently pat the kit's head. He flinched at the touch, tensing, but after a little while began to relax. He curled up on the chair, swiped once at his eyes, then leaned fractionally into the affectionate touch.

Sonic grinned happily at the kid, and he gave another tiny smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting a new series, and I hope you're all ready for fluff overdose. Till next time!


	2. Sympathy

Sonic was woken up by the soft orange light of an absolutely stunning sunrise.

He sat up from his makeshift bed of fallen leaves, blinking tiredly, and yawned. It took a few moments for his brain to come fully back online, but he soon remembered why he was sitting here. Casting a glance over at his sleeping bag, he smiled in relief at the tiny, curled-up form still bundled up in it.

It hadn't been the easiest night. After insisting that the kid take the bag, Sonic had been woken up at least three times by quiet, muffled squealing. Each time, he had gotten up, crawled over to the shivering kit, and gently pet him over the bag until he went back to peaceful sleep. He wasn't sure exactly how awake the kid had been throughout all of this, but he hadn't gotten much proper rest in the end.

Still, he was more concerned for the fox. If that was an average, even good night for him, then he was clearly more damaged than Sonic had anticipated. Helping him wasn't going to be easy.

But, Sonic was determined. If he could save the world from a madman and an army of robots, he could take care of a traumatised kid. He wasn't about to abandon his efforts just because it would be  _ difficult _ .

For now, he decided to let the kid sleep, and started to make breakfast. He quickly realised that he was out of both chilli and dogs. This wasn't an ideal situation, but then again those probably wouldn't have been good for the kid. Setting aside the tragically empty containers with a sigh, he prepared some more sandwiches instead, resolving to head into town and resupply later.

Soon, he heard shuffling behind him, and a little yawn. He turned around to see the fox looking around, bleary and confused, before locking eyes with the hedgehog. He jumped, before seemingly remembering yesterday's events, and relaxing. Sonic couldn't help but grin at this. For such a short amount of time, it was a massive improvement.

_Still, the kid hasn't said a word._

"Morning, buddy. Here ya go." Sonic walked over and handed the fox a sandwich. His eyes lit up, and Sonic could have sworn he saw his tails give a faint wag.

They ate in silence, Sonic trying to figure out a way to talk to the fox. He could understand being too scared to speak; that was a natural reaction, one that even he had experienced many times before. But this was different, like a far more extreme version of that. It was like he had spent so long in that state, he wasn't sure how to start speaking.

Sonic realised that he had probably just deduced the reason for these communication problems. It didn't give him any satisfaction.

"Y'know...", he began, and paused, thinking of how to word this. "I can't keep calling you 'buddy' all the time." He looked over at the suddenly apprehensive fox. "It's really okay if you don't want to talk, but can I at least know what to call you?"

The kid looked away, curling up. He looked like he was about to cry. Sonic carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. "It doesn't have to be your real name." He looked up at him, confused but curious. "If you want a nickname or something, that's fine."

The kit seemed to perk up a little at this, but still didn't say anything. Sonic was getting really concerned now.

"Or... how about I give you one?" He looked surprised at this, and thought for a moment, before slowly nodding. Sonic smiled reassuringly.

"Alright, then. Give me a sec." He thought about it for a while. It had to be simple, easy to say and easy to remember, and yet unique, not to mention good enough for the kid to be happy with it. After a minute or two of thinking, Sonic's gaze alighted on the slowly fluttering twin tails behind his back. They were certainly unique, and now that he thought about it, pretty freaking cool.

"How about Tails?"

The fox jumped violently, fear overtaking his expression. He wriggled out from under Sonic's hand, and backed away, yipping.

"Hey, what is it?" Sonic approached him, hands upraised in a non-threatening manner. The kid stopped dead, looking suddenly more lost than frightened, and in fact appearing to be on the verge of tears again. He flexed his tails nervously, and wrapped them protectively around himself.

That was when Sonic realised. "Don't you like them?"

The kit made a quiet, almost choking sound, and nodded once quickly. Sonic slowly reached out and patted him on the head, mentally berating himself for missing something so obvious. Of course there had to be a reason. Situations like this didn't arise unless people had a reason to really  _ despise _ someone.

However stupid that reason might be.

"There's nothing wrong with them, you know." The child glanced up from his protective ball of fluff. "Don't let anyone tell you there is. There's nothing wrong with you, Tails."

The kit actually gasped a little, barely holding back tears. Sonic smiled down at him again, a little sadly this time. "But if you want something else, that's cool. I'll think of another one." He paused, then shook his head. "So, Tails is okay, then?" He nodded.

Sonic ruffled Tails' fur affectionately. "Awesome."

* * *

As much as he didn't want to leave Tails alone, and hated the idea of going back into town, Sonic couldn't stay here for much longer. He needed supplies, especially for Tails, and he still had to find a way to fix the Tornado. There was no doubt in his mind about bringing Tails with him when he left Westside; the kid had been lucky to survive so far, and if he left him behind now he probably wouldn't last long.

"I promise I won't be long. Just stay here, ok? Take a nap if you want, feel free to eat, just don't leave the Tornado." Tails nodded, quietly playing with an adjustable wrench swiped from the messy result of Sonic's initial attempts to repair the plane.

Sonic went to leave, but was suddenly stopped by a small hand slipping into his. Tails yipped nervously. "Hey, it's alright. I'll be back soon." He shook his head, stepping a little closer, and Sonic realised what he was trying to say. "You want to come with me?"

A tiny nod. Sonic considered it for a moment. He would have thought that Tails would want to stay as far away from that place as possible, but this was probably a good sign overall. If he was already confident enough to return, maybe he'd be confident enough to speak soon. And if someone decided to make trouble, it wasn't like he wouldn't have help.

"Ok, sure. Stick close to me, alright?" Tails nodded happily.

They walked the short distance back into town in companionable silence. Tails was slow, and stumbled a few times, but he seemed much stronger than yesterday. When they got there, however, he turned jumpy, and stopped dead when Sonic stepped up to enter a shop.

"You want to stay outside?" Tails looked around. It was a quiet morning, and the street was empty, save for a few feral cats. He nodded, and let go of Sonic's hand, planting himself in a corner. "Okay. I'll be quick."

Obviously, he couldn't go as quickly as he would have liked, but he still managed a respectable pace, and came out of the shop a few minutes later laden with supplies, most of which were chilli or hot dog related. They repeated the process a few more times, as Sonic obtained more bandages and plasters, fur-cleaning stuff, some new gloves in the smallest size, and, after a moment's consideration, a packet of sugary biscuits as a treat. When he stepped out of the third store, however, Tails was gone.

"Tails?" The rate at which he slipped into panic slightly surprised him. He looked frantically around the area, but there was no sign of the kid. "Tails!" he repeated, shouting now. Nothing.

He dropped the bags and quickly ran up and down the street, looking down every turning. Surely the kid wouldn't have run off?

Fighting instincts quickly coming to the surface, Sonic scanned the area, and spied a low-roofed building and a conveniently-placed fence. Almost instantly, he hopped up them and was on the town rooftops. But even with this elevated position, he couldn't see Tails anywhere on the streets below.

He forced himself to stop and try to think about the situation, yelling Tails' name one more time, and that was when he heard it. A scratchy, hoarse scream.

" _Sonic_!"

It was coming from a small alley below him – the same alley, in fact, that he had stepped into yesterday. Not stopping to think, he leapt from the roof, landing in a crouch on the dirty street.

He registered a group standing in a circle over something small and shaking, and then his foot crashed into the closest one's face.

In the second it took for them to react, Sonic spun around and punched a second one in the gut. He spluttered, doubling over, and the other two, rather than doing the smart thing and running, surged forward, fists and sticks raised. Sonic ducked under the first swing, tripping the assailant, who slammed face-first into the ground. The last one stumbled in shock, before turning and fleeing the scene, the others picking themselves up and following his example.

Sonic turned to the still curled up fox whimpering softly on the ground. After a moment, Tails carefully peeked out from behind his fingers. His nose was bleeding, and his eyes gleamed with suppressed tears. Without thinking, Sonic stepped forward, knelt down, and hugged him.

Tails yelped, struggling, before suddenly collapsing. His composure, that Sonic saw now he had been keeping up for longer than anyone should have to, let alone a child, suddenly shattered. Tails broke down, letting out a despairing scream and bursting into tears.

Sonic shifted, pulling Tails up onto his knees and hugging him tighter. It occurred to him that this was probably the first time the kid had ever been hugged.

They remained there for a while – anywhere from ten minutes to an hour, Sonic wasn't sure. Eventually, the little sobs and gasps quietened down, and Tails curled up and leaned closer. He stuttered for a few seconds.

"S-sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, buddy. Its not your fault. If anything, I'm the one who should be sorry."

Tails looked at his feet, thinking. "I-I didn't – I didn't talk."

"So what? You were scared. That's normal."

"B-but I – you were – you were nice."

Sonic patted Tails' head. "Exactly. You think I'd care about something like that?"

Tails was silent for a few minutes. "W-why?"

"What?"

"Why are you doing – all this?"

Sonic thought for a moment. "How old are you, Tails?"

"U-um... I think three? M-maybe nearly four?"

"That's why. You need someone to take care of you."

"B-but – n-nobody's – ever -" Tails started to break down again.

Sonic pulled him closer. "It's alright, Tails. I'll keep you safe, okay?" He instinctually started to gently rock the kit. "No one's ever gonna hurt you again."

Tails looked up at him. His eyes were still full of tears, but there was a different gleam beneath, a daringly hopeful one. "P-promise?"

Sonic laughed a soft, carefree laugh. "Promise."


	3. Compassion

By the time they got back to camp, Tails was fast asleep.

He was only three, after all, and still particularly weak. He had fallen asleep just a few minutes into being carried back, curling up into a little ball of fluff in Sonic's arms, probably feeling more warm and comfortable than he had in years, despite the fresh bruises.

The silence on the slow walk gave Sonic time to think. He ran through their conversation, and everything leading up to it, and considered the implications. Tails was three year old kid, a _toddler_ , and all he knew was misery. Until yesterday, he hadn't even had a _concept_ of people treating him like a person. Violence wasn't anything new to Sonic, but this was something beyond the fighting he was used to. This was _torture_. A torture of a little kid, for no other reason than amusement.

Even if it was only those teenagers, clearly no one else had been interested in saving Tails. Therefore, Sonic felt like it was probably safe to declare the entire village an irredeemably cruel and despicable place. His anxiety about staying here was growing by the second. He had to get off this island, _now_ , for both their sakes.

Sonic shook his head, putting his thoughts aside as he reached the camp. He carefully laid the kit down on the makeshift bed, and ran back in to town as quickly as was safe to retrieve his discarded bags. When he got back, Tails had woken up, and was wrapped in a little cocoon of warm blankets.

"Hey, buddy!" Tails looked up at him, managing a slightly nervous smile. "H-hello."

There were a lot of things Sonic wanted to talk about. This kid had been hurt his whole life, to the point where the mere fact that he was alive was something Sonic could hardly believe.

But for now, he merely smiled at him. "I'm guessing you've never had chilli dogs before, huh?"

* * *

Warm food alone was a new experience for him, and in hindsight it might have been better to start with toast or something.

"What do you think?" Tails didn't respond immediately, instead taking about half a second to inhale the rest of his lunch. He coughed a few times, eyes unfocused as he processed the taste.

He teared up a little. "Good," he said, in a way that implied something a lot more verbose.

"Cool!" Sonic ruffled his hair, grinning. "Good to have someone to share these with."

This simple remark seemed to surprise Tails more than anything else. He looked up at Sonic, expression questioning but still happy.

"Anyway!" Sonic got up, and started to rifle through the bags. Tails watched him curiously. "Where'd I put it... ah-ha!" He pulled out the pair of gloves he had bought earlier, handing them to Tails.

"Here ya go. Should be a lot warmer than those." He indicated Tails' current gloves, which were more hole than cloth, and had faded from what he assumed must have been white to brown, with hints of green in places, and a few mysterious reddish stains that he carefully ignored. "I would have gotten some shoes too, but I didn't know your size."

Tails looked up from staring at the gloves, astonished. He paused for a second, thinking, then took off one of his shoes and held it up, showing Sonic the tag on the inside.

"Eight, huh? Alright, I'll just be a minute!"

True to his word, it took Sonic exactly sixty seconds to grab his wallet, run back in to town, buy a pair of shoes and some socks, and get back. The fact that he was now almost out of money was of little concern to him. "These okay?"

They were the same style as his current, worn-out pair; wide and fairly plain, with white toes and a red heel. They were a fairly common style – cheap, but sturdy and practical.

Tails, at this point, was looking completely overwhelmed. "T-They're, um... thanks." He sat there awkwardly for a moment, clearly having no idea how to react to being gifted something, before putting on the new apparel. He looked a little strange, standing there with pristine clothes and dirty, matted fur covered in bandages, but his general impression was getting markedly closer to an ordinary kid.

"We're gonna have to clean you up at some point, kiddo." Sonic looked at the still gutted Tornado. "Well, I guess we should get out of here first."

The kit looked at him, shocked. "Out of here?"

"Yeah. I'm guessing you don't want to be stuck here any more than I do." Sonic looked back at him, smiling cheerfully. "So I figured you can come with me. I mean, I'm not about to just leave you behind."

Tails froze, completely stunned. His breathing suddenly became shallow, almost hyperventilating. For a while, the fox just stared at him. Just as Sonic was getting concerned, and opened his mouth to say something along the lines of _are you okay_ , he abruptly burst into tears.

"Tails?" Sonic bolted over to him, quickly putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder, shaking it gently to snap him out of it. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"You... You'd really... do that?" Tails looked up, sniffling. "You want me to come with you?"

"Of course! I just promised, remember?" Sonic pulled him into a gentle side-hug. "Besides, we're friends now, right?"

"Friends?"

"Best friends!"

Tails looked at the ground for a moment, thinking, before suddenly turning around and hugging Sonic as hard as he could. The hedgehog was taken aback, but he quickly returned the hug.

"T-Thank you."

"No problem."

* * *

"Definitely gonna need to find some work soon."

Clearly, taking care of someone else wasn't easy. Yesterday, Sonic had a little over a hundred Mobiums left in his wallet, an emergency fund saved up over months. Now, he had about twenty left. Enough for a few days worth of food, maybe, but nowhere near enough to hire a mechanic.

"To fix the plane?"

"Yep. Engine's busted, or something. That's why I'm here – crash landed. We'll need to get the Tornado fixed up before we can go."

Tails looked over at the broken biplane curiously. He got up, walking over to the toolbox, and dragged it to the open panel on the front of the plane. Sonic watched as he inspected the wrecked engine carefully.

"I think I can see how this works."

Sonic blinked. "What?"

Tails pointed at a blackened component. "This bit overheated. I think it's some kind of regulator? Then the heat made this bit -" he indicated a shattered connector of some kind "- snap. It's not a very big problem, but it stops the engine from working properly." He turned around, but faltered at Sonic's incredulous expression. "Or, well... I think that's how it went."

"Hold up a sec, buddy. You know how engines work?"

Tails tilted his head. "Is that weird?"

Sonic stared at him. _This kid's three, right? Did he get confused? Lose track of time, or something?_ But he _looked_ like a three year old, _acted_ like a three year old, although a very traumatised one. Come to think of it, though, he did talk well, especially if no one had taught him.

"It's not weird. Just... how'd you learn that?"

"Um... I found some old books." Tails looked nervous again. When he talked about the engine, he had seemed enthusiastic. It was actually the closest he had come to sounding like a normal kid, at least in terms of tone. But now he looked fearful, like Sonic would reprimand him.

_ He can read, too? _ Sonic looked at Tails, and at the wrench he still held in his hand, and an idea occurred to him that was probably very stupid.

"Can you... fix it?"

Tails looked back at the engine, then at the toolbox. "Maybe." He paused, then slowly picked up another tool, looking over at Sonic as if asking for permission.

He nodded, and watched as Tails started to tinker with the plane. Sonic didn't know anything about science, but he didn't look like a little kid playing. He looked like a professional.

Sonic thought about this new revelation, cross-referenced it with his previous thoughts, and mentally drew a big red cross over the implications.

* * *

Tails had just fixed the Tornado.

From the start, Sonic had felt like there was something special about this kid. Even beyond the two tails, there was something about the impression he gave, like he was hiding something amazing.

Apparently, it was being able to fix a broken biplane at the age of friggin'  _ three _ .

Sonic watched as the engine shuddered to life. Tails turned it off, looking satisfied, and hopped out of the pilot's seat, walking over to him. "I think it should work okay now."

The hedgehog scooped the surprised kit up into a hug, laughing. "Dude, that's  _ amazing _ ! I can't believe it!"

Tails' flinch barely lasted a second, something Sonic was happy to mentally note. "I-I didn't really do that much..." He yelped as Sonic leapt up into the cockpit, plopping him down in the passenger seat.

"Buckle up, kiddo!" Tails watched from his seat as Sonic practically flew around the campsite, packing everything up and throwing it into the cargo compartment. "We're getting off this island!"

"Where are we going?"

"I'm thinking the mainland – lots of stuff to do there." Sonic closed the compartment, and jumped up to the pilot's seat. "'Sides, I don't really have much fuel left. And anyway, anywhere's better than here, right?"

Tails smiled. It was still shy, but much stronger than before. Sonic ruffled his hair, and he actually giggled, actively leaning in to it. "Okay then."

Sonic turned around, confidently starting the plane. Tails was heavily scarred, both physically and mentally, and it was going to take a lot of careful effort to get him to a somewhat healthy point. He knew that there was almost no chance that the kid could ever lead a normal life, especially considering his new guardian.

But even if he had no idea what he was doing, he was determined to make this incredible kid's life worth living.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, that's the intro done! Thanks to the Discord for helping, as usual!


	4. Uncertainty

... At least, that was the idea.

The first doubt came when the plane landed. The ride was the first truly peaceful moment since Sonic had stepped into that alley yesterday. Things were finally looking up – Tails had really come out of his shell, and Sonic had high hopes for him.

Well, relatively high hopes. About as high as they could be, considering.

As Sonic secured the Tornado and started to head for a town he had spotted from the air, still marvelling at how well the plane was running, Tails took his hand again.

"What?" He shook his head dismissively, but Sonic saw fear in his eyes as he stepped closer.

"Tails..." He paused, trying to word this as gently as he could. "I need you to stay here, okay buddy?"

Tails didn't move. "Look, I'm just going to scout the town, maybe find a place to stay. It won't take long." He tried his best to smile encouragingly. "I'm pretty fast, after all."

"I-I know. I just..." He stopped, tilting his head contemplatively for a moment, and his voice trailed off into a whisper. "I don't want to be... alone."

And there it was. Last time Tails had followed Sonic somewhere populated, he hadn't been able to protect him. Sonic would have thought that the kid would be more cautious, less willing to entrust the hedgehog with his safety.

"You can keep me safe, right?" It sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

This kid was so desperate for any kind of companionship, that he was willing to put himself in possible danger, just to avoid at most a few hours of loneliness. And that was a horrifying concept.

That was the first doubt.

"You're sure?" Nod.

"Absolutely sure?" Another nod.

Sonic sighed quietly. "Fine." He knelt down, turning away. "Hop on." Tails carefully climbed on to his back, holding on tightly.

Sonic ran off, squashing the doubt as well as he could.

* * *

The second doubt came when they reached the town, and Sonic became very, very aware of how out of place they looked.

An eleven-year-old kid, carrying a three-year-old toddler, both of them bruised, dirty, and tired. They looked like a poster for some kind of awareness campaign. Sonic put Tails down, suddenly aware of how small they were.

It didn't help that this town was much bigger than Emerald Hill. It wasn't quite city-level, but it was a sprawling place, and Tails clung to him, looking at the people nervously.

"It's okay." Sonic squeezed his hand reassuringly, well aware that it wasn't at all okay. The pitied glances had never bothered him before, but now they were much more noticeable. Of course, there were more of them – walking around with a little kid had made that inevitable. But Sonic couldn't help but pay attention to them now, even when he actively tried to ignore them.

He had never really cared what regular people thought of him before. But now that he had Tails, he had become... self-aware? No, that didn't sound right...

"C-can we go?"

"Okay." Sonic forced a gentle smile, and headed off down the road.

* * *

It didn't take long for it to become apparent that there was no way they would be sleeping in a bed tonight.

Sonic's earlier dismissal of the state of his wallet had been a bad move. He was nowhere near affording a night at even the cheapest motels, His savings were now practically nonexistent, and he didn't exactly relish the idea of spending the night in a homeless shelter. Not that he could find one.

"Sorry, kiddo. Looks like we'll be sleeping in that cave we saw."

"'Kay." Tails didn't seem particularly discouraged by this. Then again, a cave with blankets was an improvement on a dumpster.

Sonic blinked, surprised by his own pessimism.

"C'mon, buddy. Let's head back. I could use some lunch." Sonic walked back through the town, uncharacteristically worried.

To be honest, he was starting to doubt that he could care for a kid.

That was it, he realized. That was why he was so off today. It was Tails. He was directly concerned for someone else for once in his life. It was a difficult adjustment.

Sonic finally realized what he had been doubting this whole time. It was his ability to keep his promise.

"S-Sonic?" He looked down. Tails was looking up at him fearfully. "Are you – are you okay?"

_Stay strong._ "I'm fine. Let's go."  _Worry about this later. Either way, he doesn't have anyone else._

Sonic looked ahead, spying a shorter route back. They walked down it for a while, when he stopped again.

He barely noticed Tails tugging at his hand. The word  _Orphanage_ burnt itself into his eyes, blocking out everything else.

Two days ago it would have made him turn away in disgust. After last time, the thought of going back was inconceivable to him.

He was vaguely horrified at the fact that wasn't  disgusting to him right now.

Sonic quickly tore himself away, speeding up.  _ No way. That's not the answer. It's just a copout. Don't you remember what it was like? _

But surely that wasn't universal?

_ How would you know? Have you ever heard of one that wasn't like that? _

But that didn't mean one didn't exist. And in any case, he had to admit, he had been cared for. There had been a roof over his head.

_ You gave it up. You preferred being homeless to staying there. Doesn't that say something? _

But he had his Tornado. And he wasn't exactly a typical kid. He was always a wanderer at heart.

_ Because you had to be! _

Sonic shivered. It was the logical option, that was for sure. He hated it, but it was practical.

Not that he was actually going to do it. That would be breaking his promise. And Sonic didn't break promises.

* * *

The rest of the day passed quietly. Tails spent the afternoon looking over the engine, which was apparently a surprisingly good substitute for any actual toys, while Sonic organised and took stock of their supplies, over and over, to avoid stewing over the dilemma facing him. It didn't work.

The sun set, and Sonic felt a few drops of rain. He quickly shoved everything into the cargo compartment, and ushered Tails into the cave. It was small, but it was just about big enough to protect them from the rain.

Tails curled up in his sleeping bag, shivering. Sonic noticed that he kept glancing nervously at the sky. He looked afraid, but Sonic couldn't see why he would be. The cave may have been cramped, but it was keeping them dry.

"Tails? Are you alright?" He looked up, startled, and paused for a long moment. When he finally opened his mouth, lightning flashed outside.

Instantly, he froze, pupils turning to black needles. He stayed that way for a few seconds, not even breathing, until the thunder rumbled, snapping him out of it. Tails pulled the bag over his ears, stuffing his face into the fabric, and screamed.

"Tails!" Sonic leaned forward, hands hovering nervously over the kit. "Hey! Buddy!"

Tails slowly peeked out, tears in his eyes. He tried to say something again, but lightning flashed a second time, and he froze once more. The thunder wrenched out another scream, and he hid his face again, crying fully now.

_It's gotta be the lightning._ Sonic gently laid both hands on Tails' shoulders, careful not to startle him. It came easily to him now.

"It's okay, kiddo," he said quietly. "It can't hurt you."

Tails whimpered, reverting back to nervous fox noises. Sonic hugged the kit, pulling him into his lap and patting his head in an attempt to calm him. It worked, in a way; Tails relaxed into it, hugging him back as tightly as he could, and the sobbing increased in volume.

They waited for a few minutes. The lightning didn't flash again, and eventually Tails fully relaxed, wriggling closer.

"Still don't get it," he muttered.

"Get what?"

"Why you care." He said it with such simplicity, like it was a normal, healthy thing to say.

"Why shouldn't I? I wasn't gonna leave a little kid starving behind a dumpster."

"But I -" Tails stopped dead as lightning struck, the thunder coming almost in the same instant now. He paused, shivering, before bravely continuing. "But I don't... I didn't do anything to – to deserve it."

Sonic laughed, hiding his sadness. "Bud, you don't need to prove anything to me. You're an amazing kid, but even if you weren't, you don't need to prove that you deserve to live."

Tails yawned, snuggling up to Sonic. "I still don't get it."

"You will. Just wait." He smiled at the little fox as his eyes closed. "I'll make sure of it."

Sonic waited for Tails to fully fall asleep, which didn't take long – the kid's energy levels were still really low. He leaned back against the cave wall and sighed.

It wouldn't be breaking his promise.

He would be keeping him safe – probably safer than dragging him along. Tails would have a bed, and meals, and people to take care of him. There had been pity in those gazes, yes, but no malice. This was neither Emerald Hill, nor Sonic's old home.

It was the right choice. Really, there was no reason to debate it.

_So why does it hurt?_

Sonic carefully stood up, Tails nestled in his arms, sound asleep. He adjusted the sleeping bag so its waterproof exterior layer would keep Tails dry – and, hopefully, prevent him from waking up.

He ended up having to run back. Luckily, the path was smooth and flat, so Tails didn't get jostled too much.

Eventually ( _too quickly_ ), he found himself on the orphanage doorstep.

He looked at the building. It gave off a comforting aura, even through the storm. Lights still burned in the windows, and he could hear faint sounds of conversation and laughter.

It looked like a nice place. Much better than sleeping in a cave.

_Right?_

He wouldn't have to go in. He just needed to put Tails on the step, and ring the doorbell. He could be back at the cave before anyone opened it.

_And then what?_

He could go back to how things were before.

Travelling the world on his own terms, free of attachment and responsibility. Live life as a wandering spirit, going where the wind took him.

_And..._

Sonic suddenly realised that he was crying.

_... And be alone._

Why was he crying? He never cried.

What had changed?

_He could go back to being alone. Never talking to anyone. Silently protecting the world, and never being a part of it._

Sonic gasped, nearly stumbling. He awkwardly wiped the tears away. Tails shifted around in his arms, purring gently in his sleep.

He didn't want to be alone anymore.

It was selfish. It was impractical. It was utterly illogical.

Sonic turned around, hugging Tails closer as he started the trek back to the cave.

"Sorry, kiddo. Looks like you'll have to deal with me for a while longer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made myself cry writing this. Thanks to AndTails for donating some good ideas.


End file.
